Research Finds That Tourism, Travel May Boost Ment

Research Finds That Tourism, Travel May Boost Mental Health

A new study has suggested that tourism should be viewed as an industry that offers real health benefits, in addition to being viewed as a recreational experience. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the Center for Precision Health at the Edith Cowan University in collaboration with the School of Business and Law, discovered that various aspects of being on holiday could have a positive influence on individuals with mental health conditions.

Dr. Jun Wen, the study’s lead researcher, stated that the diverse team of experts on public health, tourism and marketing looked into how tourism could benefit individuals with dementia. Wen explained that medical experts recommended dementia treatments such as reminiscence therapy, cognitive stimulation, exercise, music therapy, sensory stimulation and adaptations to a patient’s environment and mealtimes. He revealed that these treatments could often be found when on holiday, making this one of the first studies to conceptually talk about how tourism experiences could be used as dementia interventions.

Wen also discussed tourism’s varied nature, which meant that there were numerous opportunities to incorporate treatments for mental health conditions. For instance, undergoing new experiences and being in a new environment could offer sensory and cognitive stimulation. Travelling also involves more physical activity such as walking, which could be good for individuals with such conditions, as exercise has been associated with better mental well-being.

Wen also talked about how mealtimes on holidays were different because they were often social affairs involving multiple individuals, which could positively impact the eating behaviors of patients with dementia. Other basics often found on holidays, such as sunshine and fresh air, which increased serotonin and vitamin D levels, were also a plus for the patients.

In the report, Wen also talked about how the pandemic had affected travel in the recent years, raising questions about its value beyond economic and lifestyle factors. He stated that studies had shown that tourism boosted psychological and physical well-being, arguing that now was a good time to identify the place tourism held in public health, particularly for vulnerable groups.

In the study report, Wen added that he hoped new collaborative research could look into how tourism had improved the lives of individuals living with a myriad of conditions. He also revealed that the researchers were focused on doing something to bridge health science and tourism, noting that more empirical research and evidence was needed to see whether tourism could become a medical intervention for different ailments such as depression and dementia.

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